Process of producing manganese silicid.



No. 832,582. AENTED MAR. 24, 1908L E. P. PRICE. momias of' PRODUGING MANGANESESILMD.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 14. 3905.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEErcE.

EDGAR F. PRICE, OF NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO CENTRAL TRUST COMPANY OF NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK, TRUSTEE UNDER FIRST MORTGAGE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 24, 1908.

Application mea November 14, 1905.Y Serin No. 287,350.

To al@ "whom it may concern:

. Be 1t known that I, EDGAR F. PRICE, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at NiagaraV Falls, in the county vo'fNiagara and State. of

New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of Producing-Manganese Silicid,.of which thel following is a specification. 4

According to this process a charge containing compounds of manganese and silicon and carbon is smelted by means of an electrically heated resistance conductor. The product 1s tapped out of the furnace, and the charge-mixture is supplied as required, the

rocess thus being a continuous one.

ody of the charge is preferably employed as a resistance-conductor, and the charge -is gradually brou ht to thetemperature of reduction y emp oying an electric current the density of which increases through the charge.

A suitable electric resistance-furnace is shown in the accompanyiner drawing, in

.which the figure is a vertica vaxial section through the tap-holes;

The furnace is a vertical stack comprising a downwardly converging body 1 of refractory electrically nonconductive' material, such as silica, vsiloxicon ory chromite, surrounded by a water-jacket?.` The body is supported upon a horizontal metal plate 3, pre erably o cast-steel, having a chamber 4 for the circulation of water and an electric terminal 5; This plate constitutes the lower electrode. Sup orted upon the Abo'dy 1 but insulated theref tory nonconductive material is the ,upper electrode 7, a downwardly-converging water- .jacketed iron ring having a'terminal `8, the inner surface of the ring being bare so that it may contact with the charge. .Supported u on the ring-electrode is an iron dome 9 w ich carries a .,bell-and-hopper charging mechanism 10, An outlet iue 11 for waste gases extends from the dome.` Tap-ho1es 12, 13 extend through the body 1 atdif` 'ferent heights. In. employing this 4furnace to carry out the process, an electrically-conductive charge is fed into the furnace until it covers the inner face of the electrodering 7, The charge may consist of a mixture of pyrolusite, silica and coke. Initial current-paths between the electrodes may be provided, or the conductivity .of the charge may be increased'by using a mixture om by a layer 6 of refrac' containing lumps of coke, which lie in contact with each other at various points andthereby afford direct paths for the flow of current. An electric current is then )assed between the electrodes and throng the charge, serv-ing as a resistance-conductor, and the charge 'is thereby heated, the temperature increasing through the hearth by reason of the decreasing cross-section and y increasing current and energy densit to a zone where reduction is effected. he reduced man anese and. silicon form a molten alloy, whic collects inthe lower part of the furnace and may bewithdrawn through the tap-hole 13. A layer 14 ofthe alloysolidi- 'fies upon the base-plate 3. andthereafter serves as the lower electrode. If the charge contains impurities, any resulting slag is 'removed through the upper taphole 13.

I claim 1. The continuous process of producing manganese silicid, which consists in smelting a charge Acontaining compounds of manganese and silicon and carbon, by means of an electrically-heated resistance-conductor',

withdrawing the molten product from the furnace, and supplying the charge-mixture as required, as set fort Y 2. The process of producing manganese silicid, which consists in smelting a charge f containing compounds of' manganese and silicon and carbon, by passing an electric current through `the charge, serving as a resistance-conductor, withdrawing the product from the furnace, and supplying the.l

charge-mixture as required, as 'set forth` 3. The process of producing manganese silicid, which consists in'.smelting a charge containing compounds of manganese and silicon and carbon, by passing an electric current through the charge, serving as a resistance-conductor, and increasing the current or energy density through the charge to 'apoint where reduction is effected, with- ,drawing theproduct from the furnace, and

supplying the charge-mixture as required, as set forth.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

. EDGAR E.v PRICE.

Witnesses:

' G. E. Cox,

D. BUnGEss. 

